Obituary

Arlene F. Balzer, 81, passed away Tuesday (Aug. 24, 2010) at Kidron Bethel in North Newton.

Arlene was born on Nov. 25, 1928, in Goessel, the daughter of Albert and Anna Caroline “Annie C” Lehrman Schmidt. She attended Greenfield School and graduated from Goessel High School in 1947. She attended Bethel College and taught in a rural school between her sophomore and junior years. She graduated from Bethel College in 1952 and taught fourth grade for three years. She worked for 10 years for Kansas Children’s Service League in Wichita and obtained a master’s degree in social work from the University of Colorado in Denver.

Arlene married Wayne Schroeder, a widower, of Hillsboro, in June 1965 and adopted his two daughters. She then began working for Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services in Marion and Emporia as a 10-county regional supervisor. She also served on the Bethel College Department of Social Work advisory board. After 28 years with SRS, she retired to Kidron Bethel Village in North Newton. She married John Balzer and joined him in Inman on Dec. 22, 1996, until his death in October 2007.

Survivors include a brother, Hartzel (Ilene) Schmidt of North Newton; sister, Joan (Bob) Gray of Newton; daughters, Jenny (Doug) Crow of Emporia and Joyce (Rudy) Peirce of Massachusetts; sons, John (Kay) Schmidt of Walton, Tim (Lisa) Schmidt of Whitewater, David (Kris) Balzer of Inman and Paul (Janet) Balzer of South Dakota; 13 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her infant brother, Donald; husband, John Balzer; and husband, Wayne Schroeder.

A memorial service will be at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Bethel College Mennonite Church. Cremation has taken place. Memorial contributions to the Bethel College Social Work Department, where she served on the advisory board, or the Kidron Bethel Village Caring Fund, can be sent in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, 107 S. Lancaster, Hesston, KS 67062.